By: Aminata Sesay
The Deputy Leader II of the Opposition, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, has urged Parliament to expedite the ratification of the Samoa Agreement, saying the treaty will strengthen parliamentary oversight of European Union-funded development programmes and enhance transparency and accountability in Sierra Leone.
Speaking during the parliamentary sitting on Thursday, 9 July 2026, while presenting the report of the First Session of the Africa–EU Parliamentary Assembly held in Ezulwini, Kingdom of Eswatini, Hon. Koroma said Sierra Leone should move swiftly to ratify the agreement, which has replaced the Cotonou Agreement as the new framework governing cooperation between the European Union and member states of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
He explained that the Samoa Agreement grants national parliaments a stronger role in scrutinizing development programmes financed by the European Union, thereby promoting greater transparency, accountability, and effective implementation of projects that directly benefit citizens.
Hon. Koroma noted that Sierra Leone has yet to ratify the agreement and called on the Government to expedite its submission to Parliament so lawmakers can fully exercise their oversight responsibilities under the new partnership framework.
Presenting the report on behalf of the Head of Sierra Leone’s Delegation and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew S. Nyuma, Hon. Koroma also highlighted the key outcomes of the Assembly, emphasizing that parliamentary diplomacy has become an indispensable tool for promoting peace, democratic governance, regional integration, and sustainable development.
He informed the House that delegates agreed parliamentary diplomacy should no longer be viewed as merely a complement to traditional diplomacy but as a vital mechanism for conflict prevention, international cooperation, democratic accountability, and stronger inter-parliamentary collaboration.
Hon. Koroma further commended Hon. Nyuma’s leadership during the Assembly, describing his participation as instrumental in enhancing Sierra Leone’s reputation on the international stage. He said the Majority Leader’s contributions throughout the plenary sessions demonstrated effective leadership and elevated the country’s profile among participating nations.
He also praised the contribution of the Sierra Leone delegation, particularly Hon. Lolo Tongi, whose fluency in both English and French strengthened the delegation’s engagement with representatives from francophone countries and facilitated broader diplomatic interaction.
According to the report, the Assembly deliberated on a broad range of issues, including peace and security, conflict prevention through parliamentary diplomacy, democratic governance, institutional reforms, youth education and skills development, women’s leadership in agriculture and food security, critical minerals and industrialization, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the implementation of resolutions adopted by the Assembly.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma formally laid the report before Parliament under Standing Order 87 on behalf of Hon. Mathew S. Nyuma, who led Sierra Leone’s delegation and served as Leader of the West African Group at the OACPS-EU Parliamentary Assembly.
The report is expected to inform parliamentary deliberations on Sierra Leone’s engagement with the Africa–EU partnership and reinforce calls for the timely ratification of the Samoa Agreement to strengthen legislative oversight of internationally funded development programmes.